Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 January 2023
276. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of properties housing Ukrainian refugees; the number where payment has not yet been made for October 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2542/23]
View answerMy Department has engaged over 700 properties to provide accommodation for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. In line with my Department’s commitment to substantially clear the backlog at the end of 2022, my Department temporarily re-assigned staff from other parts of the Department to the payments team in December, doubling the size of the payments unit. The enlarged team approved more than 100 million euros worth of payments. My Department is prioritising maintaining a practice of more timely payments, including providing more resources to address any issues. We regret any delays in making payments and are according this issue very high priority.
I am advised by my officials that a relatively small number of invoices are on hand where payment has not issued which relate to October 2022 and that these have been prioritised for payment.
